Submission Number: 560891-00337 

Received: 9/12/2012 11:07:33 AM
Commenter: Sarah Ford
Organization: Burke Co. Animal Hospital
State: Georgia

Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative: Request for Comments and Announcement of Workshop on Pet Medications Issues, Project No. P121201
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
As a small animal veterinarian for the past 11 years, I am strongly opposed to H.R. 1406 as it will cause confusion to the public and has the potential to cause serious problems with patient safety. This bill will not only increase the staff and paperwork for veterinary offices and therefore increase the cost of veterinary service, it will directly benefit the large corporations (Walmart, Walgreens, CVS) that have no experience in providing veterinary services. As a veterinary practitioner, will I also be able to dispense human drugs from my pharmacy to anyone who has a prescription? Of course not! This bill implies that it is safe for any pet owner to take their prescription to any retail pharmacy and have it be filled by a pharmacist, even though they are not veterinarians and (to the best of my knowledge) have not taken any veterinary pharmacology courses. Animals are not humans and their drugs and potential drug interactions are not the same.